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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ground — a position
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. shower — rain
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. row — to paddle
  7. staff — employees
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. ground — the earth
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. row — a line
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. prune — to trim
  15. vault — a safe
  16. ground — crushed
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. deal — to handle
  19. staff — a stick
  20. prune — to trim
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. staff — employees
  23. shower — to wash
  24. wave — of the sea

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com